Forgetful Woman Nearly Forfeits $23 Million Lotto Prize

[1]A woman who won $23 million in the California lottery almost didn’t collect the money because she didn’t realize she held the Super Lotto Plus winning ticket[2].

After Julie Cervera asked her daughter to purchase a lottery ticket at a Palmdale Liquor store, it ended up in her car, where it remained forgotten about in the glove compartment for months, the Associated Press notes.

Lottery officials, meanwhile, were looking for the winner of the May drawing. They located store camera footage of Cervera’s daughter buying the ticket and released it to the media.

A friend saw that image and sent it to Cervera, who recognized her daughter and found the ticket.

It was a lucky stroke for Cervera since the ticket would have expired on November 26.

Cervera indicated that she will take a one-time payment of $17.8 million. Last year, Cervera, who has survived on disability benefits for 20 years, lost her son in a motorcycle accident. She said the money would help insure her grandchildren’s futures.

In June, 20 workers at Pepsico‘s (NYSE:PEP) Quaker Oats plant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa won $241 million in the Powerball lottery.[3]